Not only that, but there are some ways in which we know probiotics can provide health benefits in the gut that are likely true of the nasal microbiome, as well.

The science is still limited on the nasal microbiome, especially in the use of topical probiotics.

So, how exactly do researchers think probiotics work when used in the sino-nasal area?

Here is a list of some proposed mechanisms:

Lowers the pH of your sino-nasal area; therefore, making it impossible for some pathogens to survive

Competes for cell surface receptors

Produces antibacterial peptides and metabolites such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)

Exploitative competition; starves pathogens of nutrients

May have direct action of epithelial cells like in the gut

Stabilizing tight junctions

Reducing production of pro-inflammatory cytokines

Increasing production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and IL-12)

That basically means that nasal probiotics (like in the form of nasal spray) may starve out bad bacteria, create an environment too acidic for them to survive, produce metabolites that kill pathogens, strengthen the lining of your mucosal membrane, and reduce as well as prevent systemic inflammation.

Whoa.

How do I use nasal probiotics?

Humic acid, like I mentioned earlier, is one of the best probiotic-like substances available.

It’s a purified mineral substance that comes from plants and soil.

That being said, the best probiotic is to get outside in the woods, river, lake, ocean, mountains, etc, and breathe in the air.

The second-best option may be to create your own nasal spray from humic acid or other probiotics like lactobacillus.

Since the research is limited on this, proceed at your own risk.

I am not responsible for any bizarre thing you decide to stick up your nose.

However, I am more than happy to share what I plan on doing.

The humic acid I currently take orally is Restore. It’s expensive, but high-quality and you want the highest quality available for anything going into your body, especially your nose.

Distilled water is great, but can burn your eyes and nose, as well as create an environment conducive to fungal growth if not mixed with salt. Mixing with salt will give it a bacteriostatic effect, like storing food in the refrigerator instead of on the counter.

Therefore, all of the concoctions I make for use in my sino-nasal microbiome are diluted with a preservative-free sterile saline like this one.

If you want to make your own nasal spray using humic acid, or any other probiotic substance, I would use sterile saline to mix it.

I also discovered that Restore actually makes a nasal spray that you can get on Amazon for about $14. click here to try it

If you want to go a more conservative route, you can use a method of breathing in the steam of a heated humic acid and distilled water mixture.

The other option is to experiment with creating your own probiotic nasal spray using very diluted humic acid (possibly even diluted more than the proportions above). You can also add a powder probiotic that has been thoroughly dissolved without heating too much.

If it weren’t for red tide, my plan would be to go to the beach more and just breath in the air.

Since that’s kind of iffy right now, I’ll be using the Restore nasal spray.

I’m not too keen on the idea of adding something like lactobacillus, yet, since the research on which strain of probiotic to use is still not conclusive.

Something like humic acid is more benign and versatile if you get a solution that’s high quality. If you don’t choose a high quality product, here, you’re vulnerable to introducing an already-vulnerable part of your body to toxic heavy metals since humic acid is from the Earth.

How I’m Going to Time the Use of Nasal Probiotics

I’m currently using some anti-microbial mixtures of my own making in my sinuses, as well as my eyes.

Every night, I ozonate sterile saline (5 minutes at 51 gamma in an ozone water bubbler) and drop it into my eyes until the solution reaches its ozone half-life (becomes half as potent) at 90 minutes.

Then I switch to using the Bulletproof sinus rinse (in dropper form) that Dave Asprey created. This is a combination of distilled water, pink salt, birch xylitol, and 2-3 drops of iodine.

Then I use normal sterile to rinse my eyes every few minutes until bed time.

I also do ozone nasal insufflations (currently just 30 mL at 14 gamma 1 time in each nostril).

Then I end with the Bulletproof sinus rinse in nasal spray form (2 sprays in each nostril). Sometimes I use the mixture in the irrigation device, as well.

I also do ozone ear insufflations (30 mL at 26 gamma 1-2 times in each ear) as part of my routine for biohacking my nasal microbiome.

Since I do all of this at night, I plan on using the humic acid nasal spray the first half of the day.

I also use prescription vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) nasal spray during the day (diluted to a 1:10 ratio with preservative-free sterile saline). Therefore, I’ll be alternating throughout the first half of the day between VIP and humic acid.

I’ll probably start slow and low like I typically recommend.

That means I may use the steam inhalation protocol or do 2 sprays per nostril 1-2 time every day of the Restore nasal spray. Probably, right before I leave the house to go to the gym or doctor or wherever.

Check back

Keep an eye out for a video I plan to make showing how to make probiotic nasal spray along with my review of how well it works.

This will be something that I may even be able to use as prevention when flying or travel, in general, to keep my nasal microbiome healthy and resilient to inhaled irritants and pathogens.

I’ll let you all know!

Follow my Instagram page @Experimental_Betty for daily updates, biohacks, and general inspo for peeps who want to be healthy AF.

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Welcome!

My name is Elizabeth Abney Clark, or you may know me as Experimental Betty.
I am a self-healing expert, published scientific author, and founder of the Self-Healers for Life learning platform. On my blog, I share biohacking tips, recipes, new research, plus my personal journey from being sick, tired, and seriously struggling to feeling amazing every single day.